Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Troubleshoot and discuss the XBOX 360, XBOX One, Linksys, and other extenders.
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Crash2009

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#81

Post by Crash2009 » Tue Feb 02, 2016 2:30 am

RyC wrote:There is no GPU connected, just a fake software GPU that can barely run Aero. Yet my extenders run perfectly well, including protected channels (no H.264 here yet). The PC just streams the video file to the extender for it to decode itself.
That helped, so its like the extender is actually part of the pc its connected to. It doesn't use the pc's gpu it uses its own. I got that, thanks. I guess what I need to study is UPnP. It appears that the Media Server collects the media and the renderer decodes it and plays it. an Extender is a renderer and there are software renderers too. such as Emby apps, or Internet Explorer with HTML5

I have a bunch of Media Servers, as the picture shows. The Echo I am trying in 10 has no media server for the Echo, so that's why it errors out. Now I know what is missing. Another Question...

What Windows components are involved in getting the media to the Media Server? I suppose WMC has a part in that, WMC needs DX-10, 11, or 12. Also needs .NET. I just remembered a page I read Dependancies of Extender.

Why cant the OP's problem be one of the components of his OS? I'm not sticking up for the Echo, I am getting to the point of regret. But what I notice around here is too many people blame the endpoint, rather than a part in the chain.
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Crash2009

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#82

Post by Crash2009 » Tue Feb 02, 2016 5:00 am

Does anyone use the Xbox 360 SmartGlass app?

coolwhip

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#83

Post by coolwhip » Tue Feb 02, 2016 5:18 pm

I have played around with SmartGlass and it seems to work although I've not spent much time with it.

To the discussion above I would add that the extenders connect to WMC via an RDP "like" session. I'm not sure what the exact difference between RDP and the WMC extender session is. It looks like you are trying to connect your extender to a WMC that was ported to Win10. If the WMC to extender session uses the RDP functionality of Win7 then that may be a problem for Win10. I believe RDP is different in Win10. There may be a code dependency in WMC for the Win7 version of RDP.

Good luck with your quest.

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#84

Post by IownFIVEechos » Tue Feb 02, 2016 5:33 pm

I was able to almost replicate this issue on a nonprotected mpeg4 channel. The Bloomberg channel seems to be mpeg4 for me. FIOS. It played audio without picture. I closed WMC and reopened it and the channel was fine. I have no protected mpeg4 to test. I was surprised to find the mpeg4 channel. Only when it was black with audio I did the 411 Info trick. When I do so the codec is labeled: h.264 not MPEG4 which I would have expected since MPEG2 comes up for the uncompressed versions codec. Anyway this is probably absolutely no help. But one other thing is the the HDHomerun View app doesn't play the Fox Business or News channels and they are MPEG2 any ideas with that?

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#85

Post by whoareyou » Tue Feb 02, 2016 10:57 pm

Just spoke with Comcast advanced support. Please don't ask me for a detailed technical explanation from me, because I can't give one.

I'll paraphrase as best as possible:
Comcast is in compliance with the HDCP spec and newer HDCP SDK's have outpaced the HDCP code base of the extenders. The extenders will need to be recoded, with newer HDCP development kits, to comply with HDCP for this mpeg-4 content. Comcast feels there is nothing that can be done, or should be done, from their end.

If this info is correct (and unless someone gets opposing info), sounds like the extenders are good as dead for protected content, unless MS steps up with an update. Doubtful but possible. How to get their attention?

For me, one positive tidbit is that the technician said Comcast only will be turning on the Protected content flag if requested to do so by a particular network.
Hopefully he is correct about this.

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#86

Post by cwinfield » Tue Feb 02, 2016 11:31 pm

How hard would it be for Comcast to provide a MPEG2 stream of those channels.

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#87

Post by Ed  » Tue Feb 02, 2016 11:37 pm

^ not reasonable or feasible at all for Comcast (or any Cable Co) to do that just for WMC users. This is something that would fall solely on MS's shoulders (and/or extender manufacture's) to fix, and we know that ain't happening.

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#88

Post by Rocketman68 » Wed Feb 03, 2016 12:56 am

I am in the same boat.

The problem started when I went to view a recorded program and all I could view was a black screen video and hear the program audio on my XBOX 360 extender (the evening of 8/24/2016). I had recorded two shows that day, and I could view the movie recorded in the morning. Symptoms got worse over the next few days, originally the WMC it would stream viewable LIVE content to the XBOX 360 extender that day, but now it does not allow it and it is back to black screen with audio. I just thought it was a problem with the channel. Four months ago Comcast had sent out a letter about the change and then they rolled it out the Portland Oregon region. Comcast supports the new HD MPEG4/H.264 protect content for HBO, SHO, ENCORE, CINEMAX, STARS, & Premium Content Channels. If it is not SD and unprotected MPEG4/H.264, I can still view recorded programing and see the LIVE stream.

Here is a list of some of the different copy protection schemes: found these on the green button board (thank you to the person that posted).

0x00 - Copy freely - Content is not copy protected.
0x01 - Copy No More - A copy of the content has already occurred and no more copies are permitted.[2]
0x02 - Copy Once - A recording can be made, but that is it.
0x03 - Copy Never - the content can be recorded and viewed for 90 minutes after transmission, and is not transferable.
0x04 - Content is Copy Once for digital output, but would have Macrovision 7 Day Unlimited restriction applied on the analog outputs. This affects content viewed either on an HDTV with component cabling or on a standard definition TV. It also affects content saved to VCR or DVD when the recorder is connected to an analog output on the DVR.
0x07 - Content is Copy Never for digital content (deleted after 90 minutes) and Macrovision 7 day/24 hour for content recorded from analog channels. Content cannot be transferred via TiVoToGo transfers or MRV, and cannot be saved to VCR or DVD

I have the CETON InfiniTV 4 PCIe channel and M Cable Card. It has worked flawlessly for several years. The system is an Intel motherboard with i5, 8gb DDR3 Memory with Windows 8.1 OS and the media center license. The graphics card that I am using is the Nvidia Quadro FX 580 and it passes the Digital Cable Advisor option and is HDCP compliant. When I do the same test on the XBOX extender, it tells me that it passes but in the detail | Memory: PASS | Processor Pass | Graphics Fail. Your graphics card or driver doesn't support content protection. Ugh!

I opened a trouble ticket with CETON Support and they wrote the following:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
This has been cropping up more and more and appears to be an issue with Media Center Playready. You'll want / need to bring this to the attention of Microsoft the more people the better.

One option is the Microsoft Community Forums. If you would like to try asking for assistance there, please go to https://support.microsoft.com/oas/defau ... prid=14019 and then follow the directions below.

Select Your product type, example: "Windows Premium"
Select " Other"
Select "Don't use a Product Key - charges may apply"
Select "Community Answers" - No Charge
Select "Window 7"
Select "TV and Movies on Windows"
Select "Ask a Question" You will be asked to "Sign In"

Thanks,
Ceton Support
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/musi ... 4460235151

I know there is many WMC / XBOX 360 Extender / Cable users having this issue.
1. Is Microsoft going to update PlayReady to support the MPEG4/H.264?
2. Does anybody have a working setup?
3. I know that Cox Cable made the change some time ago, is there anybody out there with a working system and the premium content? If I didn't have the premium content this would be a moot issue.
4. Would changing my graphics card make a difference, and which one is working under these circumstances?

I would really appreciate a hand up :-)

Thank you,

Rocketman68

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#89

Post by Ed  » Wed Feb 03, 2016 1:23 am

If it's specific to PlayReady, then maybe there is (possible) hope of a fix - unlike if it were WMC specific IMO.

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Crash2009

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#90

Post by Crash2009 » Wed Feb 03, 2016 1:36 am

I suggested PlayReady 7 times in this post.

Ed, What about doing the PlayReady manual download?

Usually this jumpstarts, updates, and likely re-certifies all the components in the local PlayReady System.
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#91

Post by Ed  » Wed Feb 03, 2016 1:57 am

It depends if the newest (when/if updated) Playready supports the newer HDCP components/spec/version required, and if it does and this still isn't working (after updating Playready), then it's not Playready (alone), but WMC code. In which case I would assume there will be no updates. And the current Playready obviously doesn't work.
Last edited by Ed  on Wed Feb 03, 2016 2:04 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Crash2009

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#92

Post by Crash2009 » Wed Feb 03, 2016 2:03 am

Ed  wrote:It depends if the newest Playready supports the newer HDCP components/spec/version required, and if it does and this still isn't working (after updating Playready), then it's not Playready (alone), but WMC code. In which case I would assume there will be no updates.
Don't they still have to support WMC 7 and 8 ?

Your right though, it always "depends". So far its been hard to find a dependable test pilot.
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#93

Post by whoareyou » Wed Feb 03, 2016 2:05 am

Ed  wrote:If it's specific to PlayReady, then maybe there is (possible) hope of a fix - unlike if it were WMC specific IMO.
Yes, hopefully Comcast has misdiagnosed.

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#94

Post by Ed  » Wed Feb 03, 2016 2:05 am

Crash2009 wrote:Don't they still have to support WMC 7 and 8 ?
Not WMC. Just the base OS itself. WMC is not part of the OS (nor is notepad, or photo viewer, etc). Even then, look how they changed support with Skylake CPUs. You (not you specifically, speaking in general) aren't entitled to anything really. You're at MS's mercy.

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#95

Post by Crash2009 » Wed Feb 03, 2016 2:07 am

except for whoareyou :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

re: test pilot

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#96

Post by whoareyou » Wed Feb 03, 2016 2:09 am

Crash2009 wrote:I suggested PlayReady 7 times in this post.

Ed, What about doing the PlayReady manual download?

Usually this jumpstarts, updates, and likely re-certifies all the components in the local PlayReady System.
I'll have to double check, but my Windows 8.1 machine is a fairly new build, and it should have the latest Playready. I tried an extender on this machine, and it failed to play same as my Windows 7 box.
Life is really too short for this stuff. Could be the end of decade of MC for me.

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#97

Post by Crash2009 » Wed Feb 03, 2016 2:16 am

Google this: mpeg4 update for win7 extenders

finally a little activity out there....

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#98

Post by jlobb2 » Wed Feb 03, 2016 2:41 am

Add me to the list. Noticed a week or two ago when I caught up to my hbo and showtime recordings. Playback has audio only, with black screen on 360 extenders as well as on the WMC PC. Had not updated windows updates for a few months so I tried that first. Same issue so I tried updating the Intel HD4600 Graphics driver. Same issue so I updated the firmware on the Ceton Infinitv6 PCIe to the latest stable version. No change so I called Comcrap and they "sent the signal" to my cablecard. No change so I replaced the cablecard today, called up comcrap to pair the card and still the same issue. All channels playback fine except HBO and Showtime...the only pay premium channels I have. I'm in the Chicago market as well and I now recall getting the letter last fall about the conversion to mpeg4. Thought I was safe at the time, obviously not. Looks like WMC is really on its last breath as it will be a cold day in hell before Microsoft does anything to WMC or its extenders.

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#99

Post by cwinfield » Wed Feb 03, 2016 2:44 am

jlobb2 wrote:Add me to the list. Noticed a week or two ago when I caught up to my hbo and showtime recordings. Playback has audio only, with black screen on 360 extenders as well as on the WMC PC. Had not updated windows updates for a few months so I tried that first. Same issue so I tried updating the Intel HD4600 Graphics driver. Same issue so I updated the firmware on the Ceton Infinitv6 PCIe to the latest stable version. No change so I called Comcrap and they "sent the signal" to my cablecard. No change so I replaced the cablecard today, called up comcrap to pair the card and still the same issue. All channels playback fine except HBO and Showtime...the only pay premium channels I have. I'm in the Chicago market as well and I now recall getting the letter last fall about the conversion to mpeg4. Thought I was safe at the time, obviously not. Looks like WMC is really on its last breath as it will be a cold day in heck before Microsoft does anything to WMC or its extenders.
So in your scenario you can't playback on the HTPC? This is different from the other reports...

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#100

Post by whoareyou » Wed Feb 03, 2016 2:47 am

jlobb2 wrote:Add me to the list. Noticed a week or two ago when I caught up to my hbo and showtime recordings. Playback has audio only, with black screen on 360 extenders as well as on the WMC PC. ......
Sounds like you have integrated intel graphics on the PC? If so that can probably be fixed with a new graphics card.
It's discussed earlier in thread and although it mentions a specific processor line, the hardware bug in intel GPU's goes across several varieties of the intel hardware.

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